What to do on staycations in the main cities

A staycation doesn’t require flashy gear or carefully planned excursions to make it memorable.

What matters is finding something that fits your family’s interests and offers a little challenge and a lot of joy, especially if you’re trying to pry kids away from their screens, says Susannah Smith, president of Physical Education New Zealand and an associate professor at the University of Canterbury.

For her, the best activities are often free.

Our bodies need regular movement, but it’s not just for physical benefit, she tells Bryan Crump on the Run Home to Christmas programme. Time spent moving outdoors, especially in blue and green spaces like rivers, beaches, parks and forests is helpful for mental wellbeing too.

Smith suggests tapping into what your kids already love — and letting them help shape the activity. She recalls inventing a game called feijoa ball for her cricket-mad sons. The one who dropped the ball in a game of catch would run to the feijoa tree, toss a feijoa into a bucket, and rejoin the game.

“I tell you what, I don't think I picked up any feijoas that whole entire year.”

Backyard games, water play with buckets or bottles, scavenger hunts, frisbees, bubble-blowing and rolling marbles down paths are all good ideas too, she says.

Smith recalls challenging her boys with a $50 reward if they could catch a seagull. They never did (and none were harmed, she says), but the sneaking, sprinting and laughter provided hours of joyful movement.

“We forget that those playful elements or those little creative challenges when we have children, they're actually the coolest way to get our kids to engage in physical activity that makes it a meaningful and a joyful experience.”

She also recommends checking your local council and Department of Conservation websites, or connecting with iwi and regional sports trusts for low-cost or free options.

If you’re staying central, cool off with a paddle or dipping your toes at Brown’s Pool on the Viaduct waterfront, near the Park Hyatt, says Annie Dundas from Tataki Auckland Unlimited.

In February, it becomes the home of the Z Manu dive bombs — a spectacle in itself, she says.

Further afield, Matakana offers an easy day trip thanks to the new highway, with its farmers’ market, Omaha Beach walks and cycle trails, she says. The Āwhitu Peninsula, berry-picking farms and west coast beaches like Piha and Karekare are also popular summer escapes. (She reckons the Piha store has the best pies and brownies.)

Auckland’s 28 regional parks include Tāwharanui, a bird sanctuary and surf spot. There are also 53 volcanic cones to explore and Maungawhau / Mt Eden is one of the most accessible from central Auckland, offering panoramic city views, Dundas says.

If you’re feeling energetic, try kayaking to Rangitoto Island, or take the ferry and tackle the 7km summit loop — pōhutukawa are at their best right now, she says.

For rainy days, the Maritime Museum’s Hauraki Gulf exhibition is a solid indoor option. New Year’s Eve will see a laser light show from SkyCity, a lit-up Harbour Bridge and fireworks at midnight.

Despite its reputation for wild weather, the capital delivers options suitable come rain or shine, says regional councillor and photographer Simon Woolf. He recommends hilltop walks such as Mount Kaukau, Belmont Trig and Wrights Hill — which he describes as one of the city’s best viewpoints.

On clear days, you can spot the South Island, Mount Taranaki, he says. He’s even seen native wildlife like kākā and karearea. Wrights Hill also sits near Zealandia, the city’s wildlife sanctuary.

Nature lovers can explore Ōtari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton’s Bush or Petone Beach. If you want to get your step count up, the 9.1km Escarpment Track from Paekākāriki to Pukerua Bay offers great coastal views, he says. It’s difficulty is intermediate level.

A ferry ride to Days Bay opens up picnic spots and hikes around Baring Head, where dolphins and other wildlife can be seen in summer, he says.

For your wet weather days, try a tour of Parliament or Te Papa (entry is free to all residing in NZ, but charges apply to paid exhibitions and experiences).

“Over a Christmas/New Year break … I understand, you can actually go into the debating chamber, you can actually sit in the seats that the prime minister or the leaders of the opposition do, and it's a different feel.”

Founder of non-profit Ministry of Awesome Kaila Colbin says Christchurch’s eastern beaches are often overlooked. Sumner and Scarborough are more sheltered than New Brighton, while Cass Bay is a good option near Lyttelton.

The He Puna Taimoana hot pools at New Brighton offer ocean views and sometimes special sessions like sunrise soaks and DJ nights. Although, they need to be book, unless you’re a member.

Inland, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens are a summer essential, Colbin says.

“You might think, ‘oh, I've seen the outside of it and I have an idea of what it's like’. [But] it's like a TARDIS almost. It just keeps on giving and it can be so relaxed and shady and calm and delightful in there, with the birdsong … and the flowers.”

The Port Hills offer sheltered walking options when the nor’wester blows, including the Bivvy Track near Sign of the Bellbird, with loops ranging from short strolls to an hour-long circuit.

Indoor culture seekers can visit The Art of Banksy exhibition at Te Pae Christchurch (costs $39.50 for adults and is free for children under 12). New Year’s Eve brings a free concert at Hagley Park — plus an early countdown for kids.